(L-R) – Nieky Holzken & Callum Smith
(Picture courtesy of World Boxing Super Series)
EDMONTON, Canada (Chwefror 21, 2018) – Cyngor Bocsio Byd (CLlC) Diamond champion Callum “byd” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos) takes on late replacement Nieky “Mae'r Naturiol” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos) dydd Sadwrn in the last Byd Bocsio Super Series (WBSS) semifinals-round match in the super middleweight division, at Nurnberger Versicherung Arena in Nuremburg, Yr Almaen
The Smith vs. Holzken card, gan ddechrau am 2 p.m. A, will air live in Canada, yn gyfan gwbl ar Super Channel.
Holzken, an undefeated Dutch prospect, has replaced two-time world champion Juergen Braehmer, yr Almaen, who withdrew from the WBSS semifinals match due to illness.
“I have been battling a feverish infection since Sunday,” Braehmer explained. “Yn anffodus, a fight in this state is out of the questions. It is not possible for me to go into the ring like this and I would like to apologize to my fans. I was well prepared and looking forward to fighting Callum.”
The Smith-Holzken winner will advance to the WBSS super middleweight championship final against World Boxing Association (WBA) a'r Sefydliad Bocsio Rhyngwladol (IBO) Pencampwr y Byd Canol Super “Syr” George Groves (28-3, Kos), of the United Kingdom, Mehefin 2at The O2 Arena in London, in a battle for the coveted Tlws Ali Muhammad.
caffael Super Sianel hawliau unigryw yng Nghanada i ddarlledu'r Bocsio Byd Super Series o AS & Silva, cwmni blaenllaw cyfryngau rhyngwladol sy'n darparu hawliau cyfryngau, digidol, gwasanaethau technoleg a nawdd.
Smith was the least tested WBSS semifinalist in terms of having faced quality opponents, as well as the youngest at 27. The undefeated Brit is one of four fighting Smith brothers.
Yn y quarterfinals WBSS, Smith took a 12-round unanimous decision from previously unbeaten Erik Skoglund to capture the World Boxing Council (CLlC) Diamond super middleweight title.
“I gave an interview last week and said it was great there have been no drop-outs,” Dywedodd Smith. “Looks like I spoke too soon. We got the call as we were boarding the plane. I am committed to fighting Dydd Sadwrn and will fight whoever the World Boxing Super series puts in front of me.”
The 34-year-old Holzken was preparing to fight Dmitri Chudinov mewn Dydd Sadwrn WBSS Super Middleweight Substitute Fight. He has had only four scheduled 10-round matches during his five-year professional career, the most notable being a win by 10-round unanimous decision in 2016 dros Farouk Daku (20-9-1) for the vacant BeNeLux super middleweight title.
Holzken is determined to make the most of this opportunity by upsetting Smith, despite his obvious leap in class. “I’ve been waiting for this chance to come,” Holzken commented. “I signed up as a substitute fighter, so I’m in great shape and prepared for Dydd Sadwrn. I’ve watched Callum fight many times. I study everyone in my weight class. He’s a good, solid fighter. We’re both big body punchers. It will make for an excellent fight. Callum, you better be ready, because I am, and I’m coming to beat you!”
Five exciting fights on the “Smith-Holzken” Cerdyn, presented by Sauerland Event, Bydd aer yn gyfan gwbl yng Nghanada ar Super Channel.
In the 10-round WBSS Substitute Fight, Dmitrii “Night Wolf” Chudinov (20-2, 13 Kos), o Rwsia, faces an opponent to be determined in the co-featured event. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Filip Hrgovic (3-0, 3 Kos), o Croatia, faces Irishman Sean “Big Sexy” Turner (12-1, 8 Kos) mewn bout wyth rownd; former WBC Youth light heavyweight champion James Kraft (13-0, 9 Kos), yr Almaen, meets Cameroon native Bernard Donfack (23-17-3, 11 Kos) in an eight round super middleweight match; 19-year-old German super middleweight Leon Bauer (12-0-1, 8 Kos) sgwariau ffwrdd gyda Marco Miano (6-6, 2 Kos), yr Eidal, in a six-round fight to open the Super Channel broadcast. A six-round “swing bout” between German super middleweight Toni Kraft(12-0-1, 4 Kos) and Hungarian Jozsef Racz (7-20-1, 2 Kos) may also be aired.
Mae'r holl ymladd a diffoddwyr yn destun newid.
BYD BOCSIO SUPER CYFRES semifinals ATODLEN
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Ionawr 27, riga Arena, riga, Latfia – WBO / CLlC Unification
Oleksandr “Y gath” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), Wcráin
WMDEC12 (115-113, 115-113, 114-114).
Mairis Ceirw (23-1, 18 Kos), Latfia
(cadw Usyk ei deitl WBO ac enillodd y bencampwriaeth CLlC)
Chwefror 3, Bolshoy Iâ Dome, Sochi, Rwsia – IBF / WBA Unification
Murat “Haearn” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), Rwsia
WTKO12
Yunier “Mae'r KO Doctor” Dorticós (21-1, 20 Kos), Cuba
(Gassiev retained his IBF title and won WBA championship)
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Chwefror 17, Manceinion, Arena, Manceinion, DU – WBA / IBO Unification
“Saint” George Groves (28-3, 20 Kos), Y Deyrnas Unedig
WDEC12 (117-112, 116-112, 115-113)
Chris “Gen nesaf” Eubank Jr. (26-2, 20 Kos), Pencampwr y Byd IBO, Y Deyrnas Unedig
(Groves retained his WBA title and won IBO championship)
Chwefror 24, Nurnberger Versicherung Arena, Nuremburg, Yr Almaen
Callum “byd” Smith (23-0, 17 Kos), Y Deyrnas Unedig – Ring #3
(CLlC Diamond Pencampwr Pwysau Canol Super)
vs.
Nieky “Mae'r Naturiol” Holzken (13-0, 10 Kos), Iseldiroedd
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Mai 11, 2018, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – WBC/WBC/WBA/IBF/Ring Unification
Oleksandr “Y gath” Usyk (14-0, 11 Kos), WBO/WBC Champion, Wcráin – Ring #1
vs.
Murat “Haearn” Gassiev (26-0, 19 Kos), WBA/IBF Champion, Rwsia – Ring #2
Mehefin 2, 2018, The O2 Arena, Llundain, Y Deyrnas Unedig – WBA / IBO Unification
“Saint” George Groves (28-3, 20 Kos), Y Deyrnas Unedig, WBA/IBO Champion – Ring #2
vs.
Callum Smith-Nieky Holzken winner
